We may be finally reaching the point where display technology is finally catching up to our collective virtual reality dreams.

Forth Dimension Displays has managed to squeeze a functional, commercially viable 1080p monitor into a display area that measures a little less than an inch across diagonally.

The company has also recently prototyped a similarly sized screen at QXGA resolutions of 2048×1536 — the same pixel count as the new iPad squeezed onto a fraction of the size.

By putting one of these HD displays a few inches in front of each eye, you can create an all-encompassing 3D effect that covers a roughly 100 degree field of vision in front of you.

These screens are currently limited to high-end, specialty market purposes like professional camera viewfinders, advanced microscopy, and military simulation, but the Forth Dimension team has its eye on broader markets like architectural visualizations, virtual tourism, education and, yes, home gaming peripherals.